Command What we are doing
telnet smtp-mail.example.net 25 telnet to a machine that responds to smtp on port 25
HELO client.example.net issue the 'HELO' command to start (this is a "hello, I am client.example.net" introduction)
mail from:[email protected] issue the 'mail from' command
rcpt to:[email protected] issue the 'rcpt to' command (this should be a valid address)
data now the 'data' command will allow you to do the rest...
subject:This is the subject the text you want on the subject line
  a blank line to tell indicate the next part is the message body
This is the message body! this is the message body
. a 'dot' as the first and only character tells the SMTP Service to process the message
quit the 'quit' command exits your telnet on port 25

I typed the stuff in blue below.
You are looking for the return codes in green below, the text returned may change from server to server, but the codes should not.
B:\>telnet smtp-mail.example.net 25
220 miniRelay Server v0.9.75 ready
HELO client.example.net
250 Hello client.example.net [10.11.12.13]
mail from:[email protected]
250 [email protected] Address Okay
rcpt to:[email protected]
250 [email protected] Address Okay
data
354 Start mail input; end with <CRLF>.<CRLF>
subject:This is the subject

This is the message body!
.
250 Ok, Mail queued for delivery.
quit
221 Signing Off.